What can you bring into the GMAT?

NOTHING! You are not allowed to bring anything into the test except your identification.

What about a Calculator?

During the Integrated Reasoning section and ONLY the Integrated Reasoning section, you are provided with a calculator on your
test computer. The calculations you will have to do on the IR section are much more difficult, so make sure to use that calculator!

For the rest of the test, you are not able to use a calculator; because of this it is important that you brush up on your basic arithmetic, so that you aren’t wasting time on test day figuring out what 7 times 8 is.

TIP: If you are having trouble with time on the quant section, memorizing the 1-10 times table, basic exponents, primes, roots and fractions will help you navigate through the test more quickly.

What about a pen and paper for scratch work?

You will be provided with erasable, gridded, note pads and dry erase markers that you can use during the test as scratch paper. If you don’t want to waste time erasing the boards, you can raise your hands and get new ones from the proctor once you have filled them all up. I found that the 5 sheets were more than enough to get me through each section and I just switched boards out for new ones during my breaks. In order to prepare for this unusual aspect of the test, I recommend just keeping a scrap notepad near you while you study and try to write small. However, if you want to simulate an actual test experience Manhattan GMAT sells boards that are exactly like the ones you will have in the test room. You can find them in our Bookstore.

TIP: When using process of elimination, it is too difficult to keep track of everything you want to eliminate in your head, but it is tedious to write out ABCDE for every single question. I recommend creating a grid at the start of the test and using it to keep track of the answers that you eliminate. You might not want to do this for every question, so after you are finished with each question, draw a squiggly line down the middle of graph you just completed, to keep track of where you are.

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Meet the Author

Eliza Chute

I was always just an average student, but with the right course prep I was able to score a 770 on my first try. I had to wade through a lot of material to find what was right for me, but luckily for you I've done all the research for you! See more on my GMAT courses page.